1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to toys, and more particularly to an improved push-pull wheel action toy. The invention involves a novel way of coupling a wheel of the toy to a vertically extending push rod for imparting up and down and rotational movements to the push rod.
2. Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 2,724,925 discloses a toy vehicle having an up and down movable push rod onto which a figure head is mounted. A cam member on a wheel axle is offset from the axis of the push rod and engages a pedestal on the push rod for simultaneously imparting up and down and rotational movements to the push rod and figure head. A problem with this toy vehicle is that the force for imparting rotational movement to the push rod is not a positive force. Instead, the rotation imparting force depends entirely upon the friction between the pedestal and cam member which varies with use and is not too dependable.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,708,912 discloses a bouncing passenger vehicle toy in which a plate is driven vertically by multi-lobed cams on the vehicle axles as the vehicle rolls along. No provision is made in this vehicle for imparting rotational movement to the passengers.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,827,179 discloses a wheeled toy vehicle having a cam operated oscillating chair and steering wheel. One of the wheels has a cam surface that moves reciprocally as the wheel rotates, and a cam follower engages the cam surface so as to oscillate an upright stem around its axis in response to wheel rotation. The operator's chair is mounted on the upright stem to oscillate therewith, and the steering wheel is preferably engaged by a projection from the chair for oscillating the steering wheel with the chair. A problem with this toy vehicle is that the operator's chair is not raised and lowered. Furthermore, it would be difficult, if not impossible, to modify the mechanism to raise and lower the chair in addition to imparting oscillation thereto.
Although the aforementioned prior art toys operate satisfactorily, none of them have the advantage inherent in the action toy of this invention of positive means for initially raising and lowering a push rod onto which a figure head is mounted, and then positively rotating the push rod and figure head through a predetermined angle when the push rod is substantially in its lowermost position. Another advantage of the action toy of this invention is that the toy and the positive means incorporated therein are of an extremely rugged and durable construction capable of withstanding the heavy abuse to which they are subjected by children without suffering significant damage.